Friction-clutch.



C. A, LAWTONL FRICTlON CLUTCH.

APPLICATION. FILED APR. 20. 1914.

Patented July 20, 1915.

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CHARLES A. LAWTON, OF DE PERE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE C. A. LAWTON COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

FRICTION-CLUTCH.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, CHARLES A. LAWTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at De Pere, in the county of Brown and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Friction-Clutches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof. 7

This invention relates to friction clutches, and the objects of the invention are to improve friction clutches in the manner to be hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings which accom pany this specification and form a part here of, on which drawings the same reference characters are used to designate the same elements wherever they may appear in each of the several views, and which drawings illustrate an embodiment of this invention, Figure l is an elevation of a pulley with my improved friction clutch applied-thereto,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line aa, on Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line b -b, on Flg. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 4 is an elevation of a friction ring; and Fig. 5 is an elevation of a coacting friction ring.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates a disk or spider adapted to be secured to a shaft, pulley or the like, and provided with a hub 2, upon which is supported a belt pulley 3, for example, though it will of course be understood that a belt pulley has been selected as merely illustrative of the application of the invention, and this belt pulley will be hereinafter referred to as a power transmitting member. The power transmitting member is intended to remain stationary while the hub 2 is being revolved, or to revolve therewith if the disk 1 and hub 2 are the driving members, or if the power transmitting member is the driving member, the power transmitting member is intended to revolve independently of the hub 2, or to revolve therewith, according to the action of the clutching mechanism. The power transmitting member is provided with a hub 4, which is preferably provided with recesses at each end to receive the necessary number of friction Specification of Letters Patent. Patent d J l 20 1915 Application fil ed April 20, 1914.

Serial No. 833,018.

rings to transmit the power contemplated. The hub 4 is provided with slots extending longltudlnally thereof and opening into the recesses aforesaid, and, in the construction illustrated by the drawings, there are four of these slots for each of the two recesses. The two recesses are designated by the reference numerals 5 and 6, and the slots hereinbefore referred to are all designated by the reference numeral 7. Friction rings 8 are provided, of a size to fit readily in the recesses in hub 4, and their internal diameters are slightly larger than the diameter of the hub 2, and they are provided with projections 9, adapted to be received in the slots 7 in the hub 4. The hub 2 is provided with longitudinal slots 10, which in the con struction illustrated, are four in number, and friction rings 11 are provided, the external diameters than the diameters of the recesses 5 and 6, and the internal diameters of which are sufficiently' large .to' enable them to be readily slipped onto-hub 2. These friction rings 11 are provided with internal projections 12, adapted to be received within the slots 10 in hub 4. The disk or spider ,1 is provided with a shoulder 13, which forms one abutmentfor the friction rings. The hub 2 is provided with a bore 14 therethrough, with in which is received the screwthreaded bolt 15. This bolt 15 has a head 16 on one end,

17, secured to its and a button or hand wheel opposite end in any suitable manner, as for example, by the pin 18. A clamp 19, which is freely movable upon the bolt 15, is adapted to bear against the outermost friction ring in one recess in the hub 2, and force the friction rings against each other and into tight contact with the shoulder 13 and the inner ends of the recesses 5 and 6, when pressure is applied thereto by the clamping nut 20, in a manner which will be readily understood from an inspection of Fig. 2 of the drawings.

In order that the clutch may be used with a minimum expenditure of energy, anti-friction devices are interposed between the clamping nut 20 and the clamp 19, and between the hub 2 and the head 16 of the bolt 15. The drawings illustrate simple and efiicient anti-friction devices for the purpose stated, each consisting of ball tracks 21 and of which are slightly .less

22, balls 23, and a ball cage 24, theseparts being assembled in recesses disk 1, and the clamp 19 respectively;

The operation of lows: If the power transmitting member is .unelutched from the hub 2, the button or hand wheel 17 is held from turning while the clamping nut 20 is revolved to screw the clamping nut toward the head 16 on the bolt 15, to clamp the parts tight together in a manner which will be readlly understood.

If now it is desired to unclutch the power.

the hub 2, the kept from turn- 20 is unscrewed transmitting member from button or hand wheel 17 is ing while the clamping nut toward it.

' By the use of the anti-friction members the parts can be in the hub 2 or p the apparatus is as fol- 5 and 6 and on the hub 2, by

What is claimed is: j v The combination with a hub provided with a shoulder onthe exterior thereof and a recess adapted to receive the head of a bolt and also provided with a bore for said bolt, of a power transmitting member on said hub, friction rings engaged alternately with the power transmitting member and the hub, a screwthreaded bolt passing through the bore in the hub aforesaid with the head of the bolt engaged in the recess aforesaid, a clamping nut on the bolt exterior of the hub adapted to be turned manually, a clamp earned by, said bolt and adapted to press thenfriction rings into contact With each other by relative rotation between the bolt and the clamping nut, a hand wheel on the bolt, and anti-friction devices located respectively between the head of the bolt and the hub and between the clamping nut and the clamp carried by the bolt.

In witness whereof I hereto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. LAWTON.

Witnesses: i

WILLIAM W. BOWRING, WM. R. DAMMnns.

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